FIRST CONVICTION OF TIGER TRAFFICKER IN NORTH SUMATRA

UNCLAS JAKARTA 002097 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR OES/ENRC, EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS AID USAID FOR ANE, EGAT BANGKOK FOR RDM/A E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV EAID ECON PGOV ID SUBJECT: FIRST CONVICTION OF TIGER TRAFFICKER IN NORTH SUMATRA REF: JAKARTA 1136 ¶1. Summary. A trafficker arrested in June 2008 and charged with trafficking two endangered Sumatran tiger cubs was sentenced to 2 years and 10 months in prison and a fine of IDR 1 million ($100) by the district court in Medan on November 4. The case represents the first time that an animal trafficker was convicted and sentenced in Medan, North Sumatra, long known as a gateway city for trafficking in illegal wildlife. Despite the relatively light penalty, conservation NGOs and local authorities involved in the arrest are encouraged by the conviction and sentence. Several other prosecutions of Sumatran tiger traffickers are pending in Medan. End Summary. ¶2. In June of 2008 provincial North Sumatran Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA) authorities used a successful undercover operation in conjunction with police to arrest a wildlife trafficker attempting to sell two Sumatran tiger cubs for IDR 15 million ($1500) each near the provincial capital of Medan (reftel). The tiger cubs are suspected by BKSDA to have been trafficked from inside Gunung Leuseur National Park in northern Sumatra. Tips from locals helped BKSDA identify the trafficker and set up the sting operation. ¶3. This represents the first prosecution and conviction of a tiger trafficker in North Sumatra. Prosecutors initially asked for a 3 year sentence. The trafficker, Denti Halawa (31),was sentenced to 2 years and 10 months with a fine of IDR 1 million ($100). BKSDA officials, while welcoming the verdict, noted that in a previous case for trafficking involving a scaly anteater, an IDR 5 million ($500) fine was levied and that the fine should be comparable to the market price of the animals to be trafficked. In a press release on the case, the Wildlife Conservation Society of Indonesia (WCS) and BKSA said that they believed the verdict would help deter future trafficking. The local NGO Forum Harimau Kita (Forum for Our Tigers) added that Medan was a known gateway for animal smuggling and the center of the illegal wildlife trade for Sumatran tigers. While welcoming the prosecution and the efforts of local officials, Forum Harimau Kita called for increased efforts to eliminate the illegal wildlife market in Medan. According to BKSA there are currently two additional ongoing police investigations against tiger traffickers in North Sumatra. HUME